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Thursday, September 20, 2012

Week 99: Baptism scheduled for last Saturday in the mission!

Elder Griffin completed his career workshop. The end is in sight!

Dear Family,

What a great week. It was even faster and greater than last week. Its been a pretty hot week here but last night we got poured on again :). Last wednesday was the trunky meeting (career workshop) I went on splits with someone on their way home in October and for half the day Elder Mclaughlin was left here in santiago with his comp. It was a weird meeting. Usually the meetings in cauyan are all so inspiring and about missionary work and stuff and it was like about what your gonna do when you get home. It was weird. I did however learn a lot and it was very good. Its just an unusual feeling cuz it feels like the mission is all I can remember and it doesn't feel like it's gonna end. It felt like we left our nets like Peter and James and now they are teaching us how to fish again... I cant explain it...

So on the other hand we had great week of work. And everyday we get up study and then as soon as we leave the house the day flies by! So we had a really cool success this week. A couple of weeks ago we felt prompted to talk this older man as we went by his house. He was out front in a hammock and we talked to him. We have been back a few times and on Saturday we taught about baptism and how through Joesph Smith the authority was restored. He has since gotten answers to his prayers and yesterday he came to church for the first time and he beat most of the members -- he was 30 mins early! He really enjoyed church and he seems really like an honest seeker of truth. His name is Sadri Salarsen. His family is the one we talked about last week where tons of them listened to us -- like all his children and their families and his grandchildren. He is the grandpa of all of them and he is doing awesome.

This week we also have been teaching a young couple and they told us as we came by for the 3rd visit that when we came by and felt prompted to talk to them they had been having a hard day and had been praying for some kind of hope and it wasn't long until we came by! As we were talking to them we explained that we weren't planning on visiting them but as we walked by we felt prompted and that we believed it wasn't just an accident that we met. The wife told us that when we said that she thought the same thing as well. We have been back a few times since and the sister has a kid that went to church with her neighbors and the husband is really interested as well and they have great potential.

So a few weeks ago on the bus we met this guy named Paul and he was intrested in listening to us. So we got his address and visited him a few days later. With him and his nephews(about 18 or so) and his daughter. We had a good lesson and we gave them a Book of Mormon. We went back a week later and only the nephew Harry was there and he seems really interested. So we taught about the restoration and told him to pray about it. So on Wednesday we were coming back from Cauayun on a bus and this Harry kid gets on the bus and he sees me and he's like, hey, I read all of what you asked me to read and a bunch more and then he got an answer to his prayer. So we went back again this Sunday (they all have jobs and stuff and school so Sunday is their only day together) and they were all there. So we ended up reading 3 Nephi 11 with them and it was so awesome. They totally understood it and wanted to be baptized we tied it up to how Joesph Smith recieved that same authority and that Elder Mclaughlin gave them all baptismal goal dates on the 27th of October (by the way that's my last Saturday in the mission!) They are very cool and I hope they can make the date.

One the couples that has a baptismal date has been struggling reading and really getting into the Book of Mormon. Well anyway this Saturday they got sick and weren't able to come to church, which may have actually been a blessing in disguise, as they read a ton of the Book of Mormon and seem to be gaining a greater understanding and love for the Book of Mormon.

Alrighty so we gotta run but I know the church is true and I am amazed at how many miracles really do happen everyday. I love you!!!!

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You type a letter and they print it and ship it to him. Takes about 2 weeks. Cool, eh?! He's asking for letters so please write!

AJ has been called to the Philippines, Cauayan (sounds like Hawaiian with a "C") Mission. He left the MTC on December 29, 2010. This blog will be updated weekly with AJ's letters by AJ's Mom! We hope you will enjoy reading about his experiences as a Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!